Preds summon the Black Aces

Now that the Milwaukee Admirals are out of the playoffs, the Nashville Predators have called up five players today from their minor league club. These guys (Victor Bartley, Jonathon Blum, Chris Mueller, Kyle Wilson and Jeremy Smith) are expected to serve as "Black Aces" (explanation of the term here), additional practice players who are there to keep the tempo high and increase the competition for ice time.

An excerpt from the team's press release follows...

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Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announce today that the club has recalled defensemen Jonathon Blum and Victor Bartley, forwards Chris Mueller and Kyle Wilson, and goaltender Jeremy Smith from Milwaukee (AHL).

Bartley, 24 (2/17/88), ranked second among AHL rookie defensemen in points (39) and assists (30), and tied for fifth among all blueliners in power-play goals (7) in 2011-12. Signed as a free agent on May 24, 2011, Bartley spent the 2010-11 campaign with Rogle of Sweden's second division (Allsvenskan), ranking second among league defensemen in points and assists, in addition to tying for third in goals (11g-23a-34pts, 52gp).

Blum, 23 (1/30/89), started the 2011-12 season with the Predators, posting seven points (3g-4a) in 33 games before being assigned to Milwaukee, where he had 26 points (4g-22a) in 48 games and one assist in three Calder Cup Playoff contests. Nashville first selection, 23rd overall (first round), in the 2007 Entry Draft dressed for all 12 of the club's playoff contests one year ago, ranking fourth among team blueliners in average ice time (18:51).

Mueller, 26 (3/6/86), tied for fifth in the American Hockey League in goals (32), and tied for 13th in power-play goals (11) while also leading the Admirals in points (60) during his third season in the organization. The West Seneca, N.Y., native also spent time with the Predators for the second consecutive season, dressing for four games in 2011-12 (0g-0a) after playing his first 15 NHL contests with Nashville a season ago (3a).

Smith, 23 (4/13/89), led the AHL in minutes played (3,284), while tying for the league lead in games played (56), ranking second in wins (31), and fourth in goals-against average (2.17). Nashville's second choice, 54th overall (second round), in 2007 Entry Draft was also recalled to Nashville twice this season, but did not make his NHL debut.

Wilson, 27 (12/15/84), paced the Admirals in assists (32) and ranked second on the club in both goals (22) and points (54) in 2011-12. The 6-0, 201-pound center also led Milwaukee in 2012 Calder Cup Playoff scoring with three points (1g-2a) in three games. Wilson started the season with Nashville, going pointless in five games; it was his third straight season playing NHL games after posting 11 points (4g-7a) in 32 games with Columbus in 2010-11 and a pair of games with Washington in 2009-10 (2a).

Preds Want To Get Back To Preds Hockey: Tuesday's notes

The Nashville Predators returned home yesterday expressing the need to rededicate themselves to the simple, grind-it-out type of hockey that has been their hallmark. Do we face a repeat of 2007, when a similarly-talented team faltered in the first round, and Barry Trotz famously complained that had a bunch of Rembrandts, but all he wanted was for his house to be painted?

We'll know a lot more about that question after Wednesday night's game, but for now, read on for your morning hockey notes...

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Nashville Predators News

OPEN PRACTICE: The Preds are scheduled for an open practice at Centennial Sportsplex today, starting at 11 a.m. if you can make it. It might be worth getting there a little early, as the impression I get is that there's a horde of media covering this series.

Nashville Predators focus on stiffening defense | The Tennessean
Mike Fisher talks about taking a defense-first mindset.

Nashville Predators seek dramatic improvements for Game 3 | The Tennessean
The coach didn't sound happy with anyone's performance.

Predators small defensemen bring big plays | Nashville City Paper
Good things come in small packages.

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

Recap: Caps 3, Rangers 2 - Japers' Rink
The Capitals earned a split at Madison Square Garden.

Alex Ovechkin answers Rangers fan taunts with goal, hand to ear celebration (VIDEO) | Puck Daddy
Now that's a showman.

Kings take 2-0 series lead over Blues with 20 great minutes - St. Louis Game Time
They're drowning their sorrows in St. Louis, after the Kings trounced them twice on home ice.

The Problems with Dealing with an Injured Ilya Kovalchuk - In Lou We Trust
What's going on with Kovy?

Chris Stewart falling out of favor in St. Louis | All Things Avalanche — The Denver Post
The erstwhile "next great power forward" is on the outs.

Greatest Hockey Legends.com: Gary Roberts' Interesting Comments On Cody Hodgson
Will the Cody Hodgson trade haunt Mike Gillis in Vancouver?

Scout Quotes on Draft Prospects-Divided Opinions - Hockey Prospectus
In case you wonder why a team drafts a player at a given position, it's amazing how much opinion can vary from one scout to the next.

2012 IIHF World Championships Preview: The Longshots - Puck Worlds
OK, which of you inveterate gamblers has money down on the Kazakhs?

Preds & the city extend deadline, continue arena talks: Monday afternoon notes

The major bit of news on the Nashville Predators came off the ice today, as the team and the City of Nashville extended their deadline to complete an agreement on the Bridgestone Arena lease, while they continue talks. Of course, there's continued rumination over last night's Game Two loss as well...

Make sure to check TiqIQ for Preds playoff tickets!

Nashville Predators News

Sports Authority extends Preds incentive deadline | nashvillepost.com
This was widely expected, as the team and Metro continue their talks on a new financial arrangement regarding the Bridgestone Arena lease.

No Predatory instinct in Radulov; dismal playoffs - sportsnet.ca
Does it strike anyone else as odd that Alex Radulov (1 goal, 5 assists for a team-leading 6 points) is getting piled on while Mike Fisher (0 goals, 3 assists) gets a free pass? I wonder what Sam Jones would say about this.

Hockey Night in Nashville: Preds in major hole after losing Game 2
Robby paints the scene, with Wednesday's game being dang-near close to being a must-win.

Inside Smashville " The morning after: Predators coming home down 0-2 in series
Seth sorts through the mess.

Game 2 Woes Continue to Haunt Predators | PuckScene.com
Is this why they played like Number 2 last night?

I Would Walk 1,000 Miles Just to Be the One Who Gets to Yell At You. Lovingly. - Predlines
Caroline walks through the horror of some goals from last night.

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

Jack Adams Finalists: Ken Hitchcock vs. Paul MacLean vs. John Tortorella | Puck Daddy
Nope, no Trotz this year.

Kevin Dineen More Deserving Than John Tortorella | The Hockey Writers
Seriously? The Panthers didn't even win half their games.

From GM of the Year to ‘moron’ in one season; what’s the deal with Mike Gillis? - Pass It To Bulis
It's a roller coaster ride in Vancouver these days.

Steve Tambellini has built flexibility into his Edmonton Oilers | Edmonton Journal
Well, that defense sure bends a lot.

On Parity - Backhand Shelf
My answer to this? Expansion. It's time for 2 new NHL teams.

Metta World Peace, Ray Easterling, and our appetite for sanctioned violence - Grantland
One writer can't stomach violent sports any more.

Operation Eaves Follow-Up - Winging It In Motown
Very cool stuff here.

10 Potential Tampa Bay Lighting Goaltenders for 2012-13 - The Hockey Writers
Could Anders Lindback handle playing just a couple hours away from Disney World?

NHL hockey in Brooklyn? - The Globe and Mail
The new Barclays Center seats just 14,500 for hockey, that doesn't sound like NHL material.

Advanced Stats Primer: Or, what we know and how we know it - Raw Charge
A helpful guide here - one thing I'd add is that when it comes to couching one's conclusions due to uncertainty and luck, that's something which can be explicitly done with advanced stats, but not so much with the old "watch the game" approach.

Linus Omark's Twitter Account Is A Must Read - The Copper & Blue
That kind of frankness will get squashed soon, I imagine.

Forsberg talks about the baby, you is a guy | Hockey | News | Hockey Express
Foppa's gonna be a poppa. (run through Google Translate)

David Legwand and the Hands of Orlac

David Legwand has simply had an remarkable playoff run this year for the Nashville Predators. Of course, "remarkable" can be taken in both a positive and negative way.

While he's evoked the "Playoff Legwand" image of the last couple years, dominating the flow of the game and contributing offensively at a far greater pace than in the regular season, there have also been a few baffling incidents which make you wonder where his head is at times.

This juxtaposition has been nagging away at me lately, but I think I've discovered what's going on here...

First, in Game Three against the Detroit Red Wings, Legwand reached out and grabbed the jersey of Johan Franzen from the bench, a move I've seen as a gag in beer-league hockey, but never at the NHL level. While he got lucky in that Franzen retaliated with a spear, resulting in coincidental minor penalties, it was simply a boneheaded, undisciplined thing to do:

Secondly, you had this incident in Game Four, where Leggy covered the puck with his glove in the crease. If the refs had spotted it, the Red Wings would have received a penalty shot, but Legwand hid the puck until he got off the ice, discreetly getting rid of the evidence upon reaching the bench. Again, he got away with the deed, but it was incredibly risky, if not reckless:

Then last night, the most mystifying incident of them all, wherein he tossed a puck over the net from behind, leaving Pekka Rinne completely befuddled as Radim Vrbata scored a key goal for Phoenix:

So there, just in the span of a couple weeks, you have three completely out-of-character plays committed by the hands of an otherwise productive player, the "Original Predator" who is supposed to embody all that is Smashville hockey.

There has to be an explanation.

Perhaps what's going on here is another one of those hockey injuries that we just don't hear about in public, and in this case, I'm wondering if Legwand has been down to the Vanderbilt Hand Clinic and had a transplant. See, there's this classic silent film, "The Hands of Orlac", in which a concert pianist loses his hands in a terrible accident. Doctors are able to graft on a transplanted pair from a recently executed murderer... with predictably ghastly results.

I can only guess that's what lies behind what we're seeing now. "Playoff Legwand" is doing his job, driving the play up-ice and giving the Preds many of their best offensive chances. On occasion, however, some unknown malevolent impulse directs those hands to a terrible purpose, one which ultimately threatens the team's playoff hopes.

So strap yourself in for a good old-fashioned German Expressionist horror flick. Hey, it's at least a little less scary than last night's game highlights..
.

2012 NHL Playoffs Scoreboard Watch for April 30

We have two teams looking to take 2-0 leads tonight... will either get it done?

Visitor	Home	Series	Time (Central) / Network
Washington Capitals	New York Rangers	NYR 1-0	6:30 NBC Sports
Los Angeles Kings	St. Louis Blues	LAK 1-0	8:00 CNBC

Predators @ Coyotes Game 2 Thread

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Next Game

Nashville Predators
@ Phoenix Coyotes

Sunday, Apr 29, 2012, 7:00 PM Central (NBC Sports)
Jobing.com Arena

Preds look to build on second half of Game One: Sunday's notes

posted by Dirk Hoag about 4 hours ago

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Need tickets for Games 3 & 4 of Predators/Coyotes? TiqIQ's got 'em

posted by Dirk Hoag about 16 hours ago

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Five Adjustments For Game Two

posted by Sam Page about 21 hours ago

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Complete Coverage >

Coyotes 5, Predators 3: Nashville falls into 2-0 series hole

Is there really much to say after that? The Coyotes pretty much controlled the flow of play the whole game, and any time the Preds scored a goal and found some sliver of life, Phoenix snatched it right back.

The Preds now find themselves in a 2-0 deficit in the series, but will have two days to figure things out before taking the ice in Nashville on Wednesday night.

Highlights, thoughts and our first ever twitter recap after the jump:

Video Highlights: (may have to wait 30-45 minutes to appear)

Your random observations:

• That definitely wasn't the start the Preds wanted was it? It was Phoenix, not Nashville, that came out as the more motivated team, all culminating with that beautiful setup for the Coyotes' first goal.
• But how about that play by Klein? He somehow spun around on his back to play the puck to Andrei who was able to put it home.
• Any hope of the momentum of that goal carrying over into the second, though, was pretty much crushed. What a dumpster fire of a period. Outside of about a two-minute stretch on the power play (but what a power play it was), the Preds looked completely lifeless, and Phoenix dominated play. The Coyotes were just playing with more energy.
• Wasn't Gill-Josi a really solid pairing for the majority of the time Gill has been in Nashville? What happened there? It seemed like Klein and Josi were getting burned every single time out there.
• And it was pretty much the same story in the third. It seems like every time the Preds scored, the Coyotes found a way to answer right back.
• Will the real Pekka Rinne please stand up?
• Via Puck Daddy, here's video of NBC Sports' Keith Jones ripping into Alex Radulov at the second intermission:
  
• And to cheer you up a little bit, here is your first ever #OTFRecap, courtesy of all the good people on twitter:

Box Score - Game Summary - Event Summary - Corsi Numbers - Shots On Goal Chart

Poll

Who was your Predator of the game?

• Uhm....
• Hm.....
• uhhh.... Ryan Suter? Yeah, Ryan Suter
• Yeah... that's all I got

  237 votes | Results